Ace Records’ Kent imprint keeps fans and collectors on a steady diet of rare and well-done soul, and a quartet of releases that closed out 2017 prove to be no exception. Though held in high esteem by connoisseurs, James Carr never received the recognition of many of his peers. The 20-track, simply-titled The Best of James Carr (Kent CDKENM472) makes a strong case for the Memphis singer’s place in the top of the R&B pantheon. It begins, naturally, with his stone-cold classic 1967 recording of Dan Penn and Chips Moman’s “The Dark…
Slip Away: Ace Reissues, Expands Two Albums From Soul Legend Clarence Carter
As 2000 ushered in a new millennium, it also reintroduced the soulful voice of Clarence Carter on Cameron Crowe’s Grammy-winning soundtrack to Almost Famous. Being the sole (pun intended) R&B gem on this compilation, Crowe embedded Carter’s hit song, “Slip Away” into what is otherwise his definitive 1970s classic rock retrospective. This is not to say that Carter is the only R&B artist found in the film proper. On the contrary, Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour” was masterfully used as an “eleven o’clock number” in the Plaza Hotel scene toward the conclusion…
Only the Strong Survive: Ace Reissues, Remasters Vintage Southern Soul from Stax, Fame
The mighty Stax Records catalogue got a lot of much-deserved respect in 2013, from a new book exploring the label’s history (Robert Gordon’s Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion) to a variety of catalogue projects, many from the venerable Ace Records label. Ace has recently followed up its reissues of classic albums by The Staple Singers, David Porter and Bettye Crutcher with further Stax discoveries from Darrell Banks and The Newcomers. And not to be outdone, Ace has also mined the legacy of another southern soul hotbed, Muscle Shoals’ Fame Studios, with a…
From Manhattan to Memphis: Ace, Kent Collect Classic Soulful Sides on Three New Releases
Though they’re located across the pond, the team at Ace Records literally has the entire map of the U.S. covered when it comes to celebrating classic soul sounds. Among the numerous titles recently issued by the Ace family are three geographically-attuned sets sure to pique your ears and interest. Ace’s journey begins in the American northeast, and specifically in New York City, with a second volume of Manhattan Soul. Like the first volume in the series, it’s drawn from the considerable archives of Scepter, Wand and Musicor Records, and it brings together…
The Feeling Is Right: Kent Offers Expanded Etta James LP, Clarence Carter Singles Collection
When Argo Records crowned Etta James The Queen of Soul on the cover of a 1964 LP, Aretha Franklin hadn’t yet staked claim to that title. Revisiting that album today, Etta’s status as royalty still seems unassailable. Thankfully, we have that opportunity thanks to Kent Records via its new expansion of Queen of Soul with fourteen bonus tracks added to the original LP’s ten songs. Plus, Kent has delivered a new release from one of the undisputed kings of soul: Clarence Carter. The Fame Singles Volume 1: 1966-1970 includes his career-making “Slip…
